The Secret Journal of Dr Watson: A Sherlock Holmes Novel

By Phil Growick

On the most secret and dangerous assignment of their lives, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are sent into the newborn Soviet Union to rescue The Romanovs: Nicholas and Alexandra and their innocent children. Will Holmes and Watson be able to change history? Will they even be able to survive?

• Language: English
• Publisher: MX Publishing
• Release date: Apr 23, 2012
• ISBN: 9781780921334

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Introduction

My dear descendent, first, please do forgive me for so concise a salutation, but I know not who you are, what you are, or even if you are. For as I write this journal in the midst of a winter less harsh than the Great War it is immediately following, not only are you not as yet born, but my son John is a happy boy of only twelve. Would that the events I shall shortly convey be half so happy.

Secondly, I again beg your forgiveness for the lateness of the hour at which you were asked to appear, but as you read on, you will learn that I desired this information to be yours at the literal moment it could be yours.

What I am about to reveal to you could not be revealed until now. The Official Secrets Act forbids the divulgence of information considered a state secret, or of vital importance to the state, or of detrimental nature to the state for a period of seventy-five years after the fact. And the information I reveal is not only all of those, but considerably more. For what you shall now learn runs contrary to every history book in every country, contradicts everything you have learned as a good subject of the Crown, and would, if made public, bring the wrath and condemnation of the world down upon England’s ears. And since I know that you will be seated safely in my solicitor’s office as you read this, I have no fear that you will fall over from the shock you are about to receive.

The world has been taught that on the night of July 16, 1918, in the Ipatiev House in Ekaterinburg, Siberian Russia, Tsar Nicholas II, the Tsarina Alexandra, and their children, the Tsarevich Alexei, and the four Grand Duchesses, Olga, Marie, Tatiana and Anastasia, were brutally executed by the local Bolsheviks.

It is a lie. A damnable, perfidious, perversion of the truth. Of paramount importance that it be believed at the time, it became sire to a family of lies so hideous, so twisted, so cynical, that I cursed my heritage as Englishman.

How do I know this? Because it was Mr. Sherlock Holmes, and me, who were sent to effect the Romanovs’ rescue. And you shall learn later from this journal the events as they truly transpired.

And though I wrote of Holmes’ quiet retirement to Sussex in 1903, he lost his life many years later in the midst of rendering the greatest of services to a beloved Sovereign.

Now then, the truth about that searing, Siberian summer, when the Russian world was Red or White, and millions were dying to decide the fate of seven miserable people. The Romanovs.

June 13, 1918

Early this morning, so early the sun had not yet risen, while my wife and I slept quietly at our home in Queen Anne Street, contentedly unaware of the conscious world, someone pounding against our door awakened us, sending my wife into an extremely anxious state and me into a headlong race down the stairs, shouting as I ran, for the pounder to cease.

You can imagine my utter amazement at opening the door and finding none other than Mr. Sherlock Holmes. Somewhat stunned I opened the door wider and he swept passed me and into my home.

Watson, Watson, Watson... was all he could manage while his frenzied dance continued unabated.

From upstairs Elizabeth called down, John, are you all right? Who was it?

Holmes, my dear. It is only Holmes.

Mr. Holmes? At this hour? What ever is the matter?

I don’t know yet, my dear. Holmes is behaving rather peculiarly; even for Holmes.

Are you all right, then?

Quite, quite. Please return to bed. Everything will be explained presently, I’m sure.

All right, John. Give Mr. Holmes my regards.

I conveyed my wife’s greeting to Holmes and asked him to sit. He did so, taking a seat by the fire while I took the one opposite.

Holmes’ face showed the shared, yet contradictory, emotions of exultation and dread uncertainty. I’d never seen such a look on Holmes, nor on any other human being. It startled and frightened me, and kept me silent until Holmes spoke again.

Watson, without a word of explanation from me, if I were to ask you to accompany me on a journey so secret that you cannot even confide in Mrs. Watson, and so dangerous that our lives would certainly be imperilled, would you agree?

I surprised myself at my own answer, for it came like an involuntary reflex, or the at-attention response to the command of a superior officer in the field, Yes, sir.

Holmes openly laughed, Sir?

Though embarrassed, I was full of curiosity, Holmes, what is this all about? What is so perilous that it requires that you assault my door?

My friend, we are about to begin a task that might even have daunted Hercules.

Hercules did not have your brain, Holmes.

He laughed, And at my age now, I have not his strength.

It seemed an odd remark for Holmes to make since he had always held brain in much greater regard than brawn. Nor had he ever confided a question of age; though both he and I were no longer the young men of our early adventures. And since I then intently studied his face for signs of physical strain or ill-being, and found none, it was something else that worried me.

For the first time since I’d known him, Holmes seemed to be struggling with a restless doubt.

Then, so quietly as to be almost a whisper, he said, Watson, we are going into Russia.

Russia? I shot upright, Russia?

Holmes’ eyes widened at my response. But again, and with a small nod, he said resignedly, Russia.

But why Russia? There’s a civil war on that makes our war against Germany look like croquet! They’re slaughtering themselves with such gleeful insouciance as to make Attila envious. They’re barbarous, Holmes, barbarous! I know that I said I’d follow you, but this is suicidal recklessness.

I was quite agitated now, and Holmes, knowing me as well as I thought I knew him, waited until I calmed down.

But why, Holmes, why? Why Russia?

And then, with the most calm, measured and determined of tones, with placid eyes to match, Holmes looked at me and said, Because that is where we are needed, my friend. That is where we are needed.

Holmes’ Astonishing Tale

Holmes then set about recounting the unbelievable events of the previous night. Had this tale been told by any other, I would have immediately sought the man a room in an asylum.

Holmes told me that at precisely twenty-two minutes past nine on the previous night, as he pensively fiddled in the study of his quiet villa that he claimed commanded a great view of the channel, he was shaken to see a rather large man with a deathly serious look on his face suddenly appear in the room. This man was in the company of a man even larger than he, and with equally grey a visage.

Holmes realised that he had no immediate fear of the duo since had they been intent on doing him any degree of harm, they would already have done so. Indeed, Holmes was now utterly intrigued.

Yes, what do you want?

You are to dress, Mr. Holmes, and come with us!

I am, am I? Just who are you, and to where am I to accompany you?

The larger of the two took a step towards Holmes.

Get dressed, sir. We have our orders.

I must say, gentlemen, for two such hulking individuals, you caught me quite unawares in my meditations. If I did not suspect your true profession, I might profess the both of you to be involved with ballet, so ginger were your movements.

Holmes said that the remark quite passed over their heads, which was probably just as well, considering the size and sheer density of the two.

Holmes asked the two if they would wait while he dressed in his bedroom, assuring them that he had no intention of making an escape, so keenly had they piqued his curiosity. But it was to no avail. They followed him upstairs and waited as he dressed himself.

As Holmes proceeded, he asked in half-jest if there was a particular manner in which he should dress; formally, for hunting, morning coat, etc. And he was quite surprised when a serious answer came back.

Dress so as not to embarrass yourself before your betters.

As soon as he had dressed, the two took Holmes bodily, each holding an arm, down the stairs and into a large, black motor car with drawn curtains sides and rear.

The motor car was then driven to Eastbourne Station where a train was waiting. Homes noted just a locomotive and one passenger car with all the curtains drawn.

Holmes turned to the smaller of the two and said Well, well, what a lovely idea; a train ride in the middle of the night. Charming. But you should have told me, so I could have packed. Will this be a long journey?

The two men said nothing, physically escorted Holmes aboard, sat him down, one on either side, didn’t say a word and stared straight ahead.

And I don’t suppose you would be so good as to tell me where this train might be taking me?

The larger one then said Home, Holmes and laughed. The other just smirked.

Very humorous, indeed, Holmes said.

The length of the journey was approximately one and one-half hours, and, as he had suspected from the moment he saw the train, he was now at Victoria Station. He and his unwanted companions made their way outside where another black motor car was waiting.

From the direction in which they seemed to be going, and the time quickly elapsing, he was convinced that he was heading towards a rather unexpected destination.

After driving for precisely twelve minutes in the middle of the night, in the middle of the capital of a nation at war, the motor car stopped. And as Holmes alighted, held again by his nannies, as he later called them, he was happy to find himself in front of perhaps the most celebrated address in all England, save for Buckingham Palace, 10 Downing Street.

Holmes wasn’t precisely sure if he was delighted to be at 10 Downing Street because it confirmed his sense of direction or deduction, or because he now knew for certain that he was in no danger.

The door opened before the trio as if triggered by their movements, and Holmes was brought through the hallway and led into the office of no less a personage than the Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, who stood there, obviously awaiting their arrival.

It was now a few minutes past midnight.

The moment Holmes and his nannies entered the room, he was released from their grips and the two closed the door behind them.

Prime Minister.

Lloyd George, all nervous business, did not return the courtesy, and though Holmes was not overly surprised to find the Prime Minister at the end of his midnight journey, the reasons for it still intrigued him, and what happened next most assuredly did surprise Holmes.

Lloyd George, still without a word, opened a door to an adjoining chamber, and with the greatest conservation of gesture, bade Holmes enter that chamber.

In the darkened room, only two objects made themselves immediately discernible to Holmes. The first, a fireplace with intricately carved mahogany gargoyles framing a fire too large even for this uncommonly cool June night.

The second, and the most arresting, was a rather oversized wing chair facing the fire, hiding almost entirely its occupant; except for a perfectly manicured right hand grasping the arm of the chair so rigidly as to turn the tightened appendages almost white.

Holmes noticed the solitary ring on the hand, but before even his lightning mind could grasp its significance, the figure rose awkwardly.

Sherlock Holmes, the king of consulting detectives, now stood face to face with none other than His Imperial Majesty, George V.

Mr. Holmes, so very good of you to come.

Your Majesty, under the circumstances, I had very little choice.

Yes, quite so. I do apologize for any inconvenience or disturbance you have been put through. Please sit down.

Holmes waited for His Majesty to seat himself, and when he did not, neither did Holmes, a fact not even noticed by the King, so deep was His Majesty’s pondering.

Mr. Holmes, what I am now about to ask of you must be asked by me and me alone. My government can have no official knowledge of this request, and you should know that it was I personally who asked the Prime Minister to summon you to me. Mr. Holmes, I want you to solve perhaps the greatest riddle of your life, and, quite possibly, prevent the greatest crime in history...

I understand perfectly, said Holmes calmly, you want me to rescue the Tsar and his family!

King George stared at Holmes in amazement.

But Mr. Holmes, how did you, how could you...

"Your Majesty, it is not a feat of Olympian magic, I assure you, but simple logic.

"To be summoned to 10 Downing Street in the middle of the night, I need not have been of significant intelligence to deduce that whatever the government wanted of me, had to be kept in the strictest confidence. And upon meeting with Mr. Lloyd George personally, I, of course, knew that whatever the matter, it was of utmost national importance.

"Upon seeing your fingers so powerfully dug into your chair, I immediately knew that whoever you were, you were deeply disturbed and desperately groping for a seemingly unreachable solution to the matter aforementioned or you would not be here in this room.

"I would have to be an imbecile to be ignorant of your extremely close, familial and personal relationship with His Imperial Majesty, the Tsar, and an oaf to be unaware of the threat to not only his life, but to that of his family, as well.

As soon as you mentioned a riddle and the prevention of a monstrous crime, it was not so great a leap to deduce the predicament.

It was at this point that His Majesty broke his tone to whisper to himself, Alexei, Alexei, poor little Alexei. There was a brief and uncomfortable moment before the King again spoke.

Mr. Holmes, because of who I am and what England stands for, I cannot officially ask my government to aid the Tsar and his family. Here, the King’s anger began to rise with every reason he set forth to Holmes.

I am reminded, by the Prime Minister, that I am a constitutional monarch, that we are still in the midst of the worst war our nation has ever endured, that the British people are happy at my cousin’s misfortune, that there is, and will be more, violent social unrest here at home, and that because of these things, the government cannot be placed in the position of being a tyrant’s saviour. That my own first cousin and his family should perish rather than reach safety on English soil. Does my own government not know that I am aware of these things? Do they suspect of me a limited intelligence, happily to limit myself to mere functions of ceremony? By God, Mr. Holmes, no subject ever felt chains as biting as mine at this moment.

The King had now turned to face Holmes directly, his eyes fixed fiercely on Holmes’, a look, Holmes later said, of commanding Majesty.

Perhaps for the only time in his life, Sherlock Holmes was held mesmerized.

"Mr. Holmes, I am fully aware of the great service you rendered unto your country in what your Dr. Watson called ‘The Naval Treaty’; and that alone has given you valuable grounding in the delicate and arcane realm of international diplomacy. But you have remained outside of government, retired, untainted, and there would be no reason to suppose another involvement at this time.

I shall not appeal to your patriotism. I shall not appeal to your loyalty as my subject. But I shall appeal to your sense of humanity and ask you to believe me when I say that in all the Empire, it is you alone who can accomplish this miracle.

His Majesty finished speaking and took a small, gentle step towards Holmes, his eyes still holding Holmes as fixed as a fly in a web. Then he upturned both hands towards Holmes.

Will you help me, Mr. Holmes?

The question was a command; quiet and calm, yet a command nonetheless.

I will, sir.

The Bargain

As Holmes walked back out into Lloyd George’s private office, the Prime Minister seemed as nervous as ever. And this time, he spoke.

Well, Mr. Holmes, quite a lot for one evening, I surmise.

Indeed, Prime Minister.

"Mr. Holmes, when you helped the government with that nasty naval business, I was not yet Prime Minister, as you know. My philosophy on certain delicate, international matters differs much from that of my predecessor. We’ve been in this damnable war since 1914 and now we have some end in sight. The Americans are hot and heavy in the breach and they’re turning the tide. We need their guns and butter, so to speak, and our people especially need the butter.

The American President, Mr. Wilson, is still a naif, as far as I’m concerned, and for all his sermonizing, he just doesn’t grasp the realities of geography nor the concept of empire.

Perhaps he does; all too well.

Lloyd George looked at Holmes harshly.

I don’t need your editorializing at this hour, nor at any other, Mr. Holmes... Holmes cut him off.

Then with all respect, Prime Minister, I need not a parochial Sunday school lesson on world politics.

The Prime Minister’s expression changed to that of one who knows he’s in for a battle of wits, and who now fiercely suspects that he may be the loser.

"Quite. Then, Mr. Holmes, I shall come to the point. My government cannot upend the political or martial boat. Yet I, in all good conscience, cannot refuse my Sovereign his request without going to my end heaping calumny upon my soul. And there are others, invisible others, who share my sentiment entirely.

"However, there are those who would use the knowledge of this night to further some ulterior, republican motive. There are enemies who would use this against us in the arena of world and internal politics. And there are those, simply in opposition to my government, who would use this to try to oust me in the middle of this war.

"Mr. Holmes, we already have men in place in Russia; put there before the hostilities commenced in August 1914, put there before the century was born. These and others have supplied life’s blood information to our intelligence services, and a special, trusted few have matters in the ready.

"I cannot and will not tell you more at this juncture, only that you will be afforded every aid it is possible to provide. All that will become known to you as you need it.

Now it is imperative that you leave as soon as possible, because you are going into Russia as an infinitesimal portion of a force of invasion.

An invasion? Ah, Archangel, and Holmes waited smugly for the inevitable reaction of the Prime Minister.

Good God, man! How did you know? Are there lips flapping like sails again in the Admiralty?

Calm yourself, Prime Minister. I have not obtained this information from some careless officer. On the contrary, all men in service whom I’ve met have been most circumspect.

But how then?

Sir, it is no geographical conundrum that once the English held Murmansk... here Lloyd George instantly interrupted.

At the Bolsheviks’ request, mind you. At their request.

Yes, of course; the logical port large and close enough to hold an invasion force would be Archangel. And since the civil war has been especially heavy in that unfortunate part of Russia, I should naturally suspect that the Allies would want to secure that area for themselves.

You mean to ensure neutrality, don’t you?

Holmes’ eyes narrowed slightly, Of course, by all means, neutrality.

For the first time, Lloyd George seemed to actually exhale.

You know, Mr. Holmes, I have often read of your exploits and unique deductive powers, but until this moment, I had no personal appreciation of them.

Ah, yes, well, this was merely one of the more simple paradoxes.

Really, well perhaps you might like to predict the outcome of the war, as well. I mean the precise outcome, since it is already evident that we shall win this war at any time now.

Prime Minister, the day the war began, I wrote the war’s virtual history, which I then sealed and placed in the care of Dr. Watson, with specific instructions that it not be opened until the war was over.

Did you, now? And what had you predicted?

Deduced, Prime Minister, deduced. And since I no longer have my history in my possession, and have given such specific instructions to Dr. Watson, I would rather not make mockery of my loyal friend’s diligence by despoiling my own dictum.

It was clear to Holmes that he and Lloyd George were not getting on, at all. And as Holmes later said to me in the utmost of confidence, he had the distinct feeling that had he not been needed for this particular task so urgently, Lloyd George could easily have dispensed with him.

I asked Holmes what he meant by that remark, and looking straight and intently into my eyes, as if he were trying to physically send his answer to me through the sheer power of his will, he said, Fair is foul and foul is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air.

Based upon the events that were to grimly unfold over the next several months, and furtive hints from Holmes along the way, I could not but help to wonder if Holmes in fact did have some premonition as to an undeserved end. That he had instantly grasped that fact upon speaking with the King: once his necessity was ended, he could, and must, be dispensed with.

The conversation continued between Holmes and Lloyd George.

Very well, Mr. Holmes, keep your prognostications to yourself. While Rome burns, you fiddle. Have it as you will. But I hope I make myself clear: you and I have never met. You have never been here. The person with whom you spoke in the other room does not exist. Not even this room exists. This all could be nothing more than a cocaine-induced hallucination; something with which, I understand, you are more than familiar.

Holmes bridled, but chose not to give the Prime Minister the satisfaction of a reaction.

The Prime Minister continued to bore into the wound.

You will pack what you need and leave immediately. The two gentlemen who fetched you to me will see you safely home and then onto your place of embarkation. You will say nothing to anyone you should encounter until you are with those who will accompany you on this task. Do I make myself absolutely clear, Mr. Holmes?

As clear as your explanation during The Marconi Scandal, said Holmes, referring to the scandal which led to an investigation in the House of Commons in 1913. A shady matter, indeed.

But you now understand me. From the moment of illumination as to this task from the gentleman who does not exist, I comprehended completely its implications and I accept all save one: I shall need the assistance of one without whom, I fully believe this undertaking shall lead to failure.

And who may that be, pray tell?

Dr. Watson.

Dr. Watson? Your chronicler? Out of the question.

Holmes smiled.

To what does Dr. Watson owe this casual dismissal?

From what I have been told, your Dr. Watson is a mere tail of the dog, Holmes’ smile faded slightly, an errand boy with a minor literary talent for turning your aid to Scotland Yard into stories for the masses.

Given the circulation of The Strand Magazine, Prime Minister, I think it is clear that Dr Watson’s literary talent is a little more than that.

Lloyd George was unmoved.

Dr. Watson, as shall all of your intimates, remain innocent of this evening’s events.

On the contrary, Prime Minister, Dr. Watson shall accompany me or you shall be forced to seek aid elsewhere.

How dare you say this to me? How dare you?

Lloyd George’s voice raised to such levels that Holmes’ two nannies burst into the room. Lloyd George waved them out vigorously.

Who do you think you are, Mr. Holmes?

The man that you need.

Arrogance as well as disloyalty?

Disloyalty! You call me disloyal! Have I not already agreed to undertake this task knowing more than well the many dangers to my very existence? Disloyal, for demanding the aid of the one man whom I believe with all my being to be indispensable to the success of that task? Retract your words, sir, now, or I swear that I shall re-enter that room so that the gentleman who does not exist shall learn of your words.

Lloyd George was in absolute, yet silent, fury. Holmes, ever equitable, reported that not only did Lloyd George fight to contain that fury quite admirably, but that as he did so, his boar’s bristle moustache stood so virtually on end that Holmes suspected he had been hiding tusks.

Finally Lloyd George calmed himself, sat in his chair, clasped his hands together on his desk, pointed at Holmes, yet did not look at him, and almost inaudibly asked, Just why is this Dr. Watson so indispensable to you, Mr. Holmes?

The smile had returned to Holmes’ face.

"Sir, I am a complex individual and take quite a time to be gotten used to. Not only has Dr. Watson succeeded in that unenviable task, but through the years and countless cases in which he has aided me, we have established a symbiosis of sorts that has become second nature to us both.

He has not only chronicled my cases, as you have stated, but he has been part of the very fabric of each and every one. He has provided succour when it was needed, a firm hand upon my psyche when called for, and unending trust through all. No man could ask for a better friend nor brother, for that is what he has become to me. Even my own blood, Mycroft, has not meant to me what Watson has.

Further, Dr. Watson, as his title states, is a physician. And if memory serves, a particularly important member in this undertaking of mine has constant need of a physician, has he not? I believe he is a haemophiliac?

You have made your point, Mr. Holmes.

Lloyd George looked at Holmes with all the bitter vengeance of the supplicant. Holmes sat opposite, his very proximity demanding a response from the P.M.

"Mr. Holmes, the more